


Serendipitous Duo

by Jason_M_Lee



Series: DMCtober 2020 [4]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bittersweet, Bittersweet Ending, Canon Compliant, DMCtober 2020 (Devil May Cry), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Uncle Dante (Devil May Cry), Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, One Shot, Uncle Dante (Devil May Cry), Uncle-Nephew Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jason_M_Lee/pseuds/Jason_M_Lee
Summary: Dante had always believed that he would never have good luck, more so after Temen-ni-gru. Having been alone for so long, he never expected this particular phone call to be particularly fortuitous.
Relationships: Dante & Nero (Devil May Cry)
Series: DMCtober 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027864
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Serendipitous Duo

**Author's Note:**

> _Devil May Cry_ © Capcom

It had been raining when he woke up as "Tony Redgrave," awkwardly navigating foster life and then later learning the streets.  
  
It had been raining when he woke up to being "Dante Alighieri" again, once the fires were put out yet the smoke still clinging.  
  
It had been raining when he fought Vergil the first time on top of Temen-ni-gru. Still was when he had mourned amidst the rubble.  
  
It was raining when the phone rang, just barely two months after he and Lady went their occasionally crossed paths. His boot landed on the desk heavily with a reluctant sigh after the seventh ring, figuring that it was Enzo who would be harping on him because he technically still owed the portly broker. Seeing the shop's destruction had nearly sent the younger man into an apoplectic fit, bouncing obscenities between at the mess and at him, while muttering on figuring out who to call for repairs, plus grumbling on whether to call in favors. The alternative would be Lady reminding him about her bike that he had destroyed without realizing it.  
  
(He still hasn't figured out how she had found and recognized the handlebar amidst the debris.)  
  
"Devil May Cry."  
  
" _Si-Signore_ Alighieri?"  
  
He blinked at the woman's accent. Middle-aged, probably older. Yet knowing his _real_ surname... "Is this a joke? Because if this is some kind of prank show-"  
  
" _Aspettare!_ Wait! I-" Shuffling in the background. "I have child relative! Yours!"  
  
Either his father had been busy in the past, or Ver- That thought was ruthlessly cut away, fumbling to what Italian he barely remembered. "You got any proof? _Prova?_ "  
  
" _Si, signore._ Child's _madre_ left papers, papers say her friends knew Ferino family, who know you." A dry tone. "Difficult time contacting Ferino family to find you. I pulled many favors."  
  
Enzo had mentioned about his overseas relatives before, come to think of it. Guess they still kept in contact. "Gotta do better than that, Miss-"  
  
"Head Sister Rahem. Signore, the boy... Nero has blue eyes, normal. But..." Her hesitation was so palpable he could _feel_ it through the phone. "White hair. ...not normal."  
  
Heart squeezed, demonic instincts perking yet human mind dared not to lean into a certain emotion too much. _' **Nero**. Vergil, you stupid-'_  
  
"Adoption chances will be low because of hair. No parent names on birth papers, only date of birth." Another heavy pause, as if she was nervous. " _Isola di Fortuna_ , Santa Nevan's Foundling Home."  
  
The island's name sounded vaguely familiar, either something from his childhood or mentioned unpleasantly in passing by one of the other mercenaries. Yet _Nero_... "Fine, _fine_ , but this better be real."  
  
" _Grazie._ "  
  
He couldn't understand why there was sheer relief in her voice.  
  
-3-1-2-4-5-  
  
It was raining when Dante finally reached the orphanage in Fortuna, water dripping from his coat and almost every part of him. The island apparently didn't had the infrastructure for an airstrip, much less for a floatplane, so the only way to reach it was by boat - he was lucky to had caught the last ferry of the day. That it was storming meant less people on the streets, so that plus his hood equated to very few odd looks from the natives. (Although there were some wrinkling noses directed at his coat - the locals certainly had no understanding of taste, in his opinion.) Rahem had said nothing, mainly sympathy and patience in her eyes as she went about the annoying yet necessary paperwork he would need, the tilting of her white habit taking on the yellow-orange glow of the desk lamp. Neither had said much once he had shown up at the door, only understanding once one of the sisters had spotted his white hair. He had refused the offer for a towel - the cold seeping into him was the only other thing that prevented him from being completely numb, weird as it sounded.  
  
Reading the pilgrim brochure about Fortuna provided by the ferry's captain and then seeing the stylized crest of the Order all but reinforced the creepy feeling he had felt once he had set foot on the island, never mind what little research he had been able to dig up. His old man worshiped as a freaking _god_...  
  
(Dante wondered if both of his parents would've been either amused or affronted - he remembered Sparda acting like a noble lord, but there were also moments of his more undignified behavior. And then how Eva would occasionally recount stories that had Sparda acting highly embarrassed, much to her glee.)  
  
A soft knock revealed another sister, carrying a squirming bundle of black blankets. She hesitated upon seeing him, only carefully placing the child in his arms at a nod from Rahem. A swift curtsy and the door was hastily closed behind her, leaving the three alone. He tried not to fumble on trying to adjust his grip, mimicking Rahem's gestures.  
  
Sunlight broke out from behind the clouds and through the windows when he and his devil laid eyes on his new relative ( _'Family, I have a family member who's **alive**...'_), who stared back after yawning. Something inside him - definitely his devil instincts - immediately latched on to the small little presence and started going on a proverbial storm of emotions, from / _'defenseless bloodkin'_ / to / _'helpless nestling'_ / to the human sense of wonder battling rarely felt anxiety of _'Holy shit, I'm a freaking UNCLE'_ repeatedly circling in his head.  
  
Grandson of his beloved and dead human mother.  
  
Grandson of his infamous and missing devil father.  
  
Son of who-knows-where unknown sister-in-law.  
  
Son of his frustrating ( _yet still loved_ , **_damn it_** ) older brother.  
  
/ _'Bloodkin nestling, ours.'_ /  
  
"Hi, Nero," Dante whispered tightly, discretely burying his nose into his nephew's hair to take in the baby scent. It reminded him of his - _'And Vergil...'_ \- own, human with that touch of devil, yet there was that _something_ that was wholly unique only to Nero and no one else.  
  
A tiny hand lightly smacked his right cheek, followed by a whine and then another sleepy yawn. Blue eyes - _'He's got your eyes, Vergil...'_ \- blearily blinked up at him.  
  
The devil hunter couldn't help but laugh softly as some water trickled down the side of his face, nuzzling his nose into Nero's hair again. "...hey, I'm your Uncle Dante."  
  
(Rahem politely didn't point out his tears dripping on to the blanket. She simply placed his copy of Nero's documents into a waterproof folder and handed over a packed bag with a gentle smile, bidding him well wishes and wondering if seeing the rainbow over them was a sign.)  
  
She silently prayed to the Savior that it was a sign of Dante and Nero having good fortune in the future.)

**Author's Note:**

> Precedes "[Nibble, Nibble](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19210396)." Part of Johnny Luuu's [DMCtober 2020 prompts](https://twitter.com/johnnyluuuarts/status/1307100413708111880), Day 4 "[Rainstorm](https://devilmaycry.fandom.com/wiki/Rain_Storm)."
> 
> For those wondering about "Rahem," it's from the Hebrew form אדון רחם נא "Adon raḥem na" of the Greek Κύριε, ἐλέησον "[Kyrie eleison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrie)," meaning "Lord, have mercy." To which רחם "rahem" translates to "to be merciful."
> 
> "Santa" is the feminine form of "saint" in Italian, "santo" the masculine form.
> 
> The title "Serendipitous Duo" is a reference to a translation of めぐりあう二人, _Meguriau Futari_ , the Japanese name of the [Two Become One](https://www.khwiki.com/Two_Become_One) keychain from _Kingdom Hearts 2_. A more literal translation could be "two people that meet fortuitously" or "two people that meet by chance."


End file.
